The Garden Plot (Potting Shed Mystery series Book 1)
By: Marty Wingate
Rating: 5 of 5
This is the first book in the Potting Shed Mystery series by Marty Wingate. From what I have read, “The Garden Plot” is also the first mystery that Ms. Wingate wrote. I recently read “The Rhyme of the Magpie” which is a first in another series by the author and enjoyed it so much, that I sought out her previous books. I am certainly glad to have done so. For a first book, “The Garden Plot” is an excellent cozy mystery.
In the story, Pru is a native from Dallas, Texas, who really has found her roots (due to her dual citizenship) in England. She’s given herself one year to settle in and find a job in her field. She is a gardener who has worked at the prestigious Dallas Arboretum and is now having a very difficult time finding a position in her new country. While she endeavors to find that elusive head gardeners position, she makes ends meet by doing odd gardening jobs in London.
In the midst of her latest odd-job, she uncovers a murder and gets caught up in the search for the killer. There are a number of suspicious characters and the author leaves a few clues. I was able to figure out the whodunnit about two thirds of the way through but there was enough of the story to keep me caught up through the end. The characters are likeable, the plot and the ending make sense, and the dialog and relationships are fun to read. I enjoyed the book quite a lot and will be planning on reading the other books in the series and looking for future books by Ms. Wingate.